The Monster Groove is an annual recurring concert happening that makes music a personal and integrative group experience. During an hour, under the direction of the musician and sound artist Simon Berz, 50 drummers, musicians, internationally established artists and dancers, arranged the African Bèmbé rhythm in a large circle. The audience closes the "musical rhythm", is close to the happenings and is animated to participate in the event.

MONSTER GROOVE 2018 feat. Kondo Toshinori, Helen Gillet, Hans Kennel from Simon Berz on Vimeo.

The Monster Groove integrates different people, cultures and traditions, old and young, not only through common music and dancing but also through shared social exchange - it is cooked together and celebrated to give the unknown a face and create identities.

Simon Berz performs as a transdisciplinary artist and musician in New Orleans, the United States, Cuba, Senegal, China, Russia, Japan, Turkey and Iceland. The accumulated experiences in these countries show him the connecting function of music in society. In particular the long stays in New Orleans demonstrate Simon Berz the identity-creating force and the integrating function of the musicians. He wants to celebrate this power with the MONSTER GROOVE through music, dance, performance and common food.

BADABUM ATELIER Plattform for art & education

BADABUM is a platform for the integration of different art forms and education. Based on improvised music,
bridges are built to fine arts, performance, dance, film, composition and research. A special consideration is
being placed on the social context where the artistic experiments take place, as well as the location itself.
BADABUM is equally at home in off spaces as it is in public spaces, clubs, galleries or concert halls in Japan,
China, Europe and USA. Since its formation in 2001, BADABUM has been a platform for musicians, artists,
dancers and students between 4 and 72!


Since 2015 Badabum focused on the creative music education, it is worked by individual lessons, group lessons,
workshops and concerts at a music education that highlight the artistic, social, spiritual and ethical
components of music-making. There is an annual major event of the Monster Groove, where more than
50 drummers and dancers playing together a long stood the Monster Groove together.



MONSTER GROOVE 2014

CONTACT: BADABUM Atelier